Device for expanding and contracting demountable rims



C. F. CORBETT.

.DEVIIE FOR EXPANDING AND CONTRACTING DEMOUNTABLE RIMS.` 'APPLICATION FILED OCT. I4, 1915.

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' APPLICATION man oc1.14. |915.

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Snowdon .i ,wm/www1 CHARLES F. CORBETT, OF CLEAR SPRING, MARYLAND.

DEVICE FOR EXPANDING AND CONTRACTING DEMUUNTABLE RIMS Application led October 14, 1915.

To all 'whom it may concern.'

Be it 4knovvn that I, CHARLES F. CORBETT, a'citizen of the nited States, residing at Clear Sprin in the county of 'ashington and State o Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Expanding and Contracting Demountable Rims, of which the folloiving is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to improvements in devices for expanding and contracting demountable rimslof automobile and other vehicle Wheels, and particularlv rims of that type in which the rim is split at one point in its circumferential length and provided Withineans for holding it connected at the point of severance to maintain it in normally expanded condition to receive and hold the resilient tire.

One object oflthe present invention is tov tracting device in joint and breaking condition; v

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the rim and Icontracting and expanding device;

F1 3 1s a vertical transverse sect-ion on the llne 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a .longitudinal section, showingl in full and dotted lines particularly the joint'breaking action prior to the expansion of the rim;

, Fig. 5 is a. detail view, showing the means for locking the rim ends together;

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective-view, shovvi ing the locking `connection between the ends of the rim.;

Fig.'6is a detail transverse section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10 ar 1 to 4, inclusive, showing the application of the invention to a diiferent form of Speciiication of Letters Patent.

views similar Ito Iatented Mar. 27, 1917.

Serial No. 5t ,892.

rim. and also sh wing a modified construction;

Fig. 'l1 is a fragmentary plan vieiv.J showing one of the dovetailed retaining lugs on the rim; and v Fig. 1l"x is a detail vievv, showing the construction of the fastening between the rim ends disclosed in Figs. T to 10 inclusive;

Fig. 12 is a detail section on the line 12--12 of Fig. ll.

In the present embodiment of my invention. as shown in Figs. 1 to ll inclusive, 1 designates a demountable rim of the clencher type, and '.2 a pneumatic tire mounted thereon, the rim being split` orl provided with a transverse slit 3 at a point in its circumference, whereby it is adapted to be contracted to permit of the ready and convenient application and removal of the tire, and ex; panded to supp ortthe tire. It will, of course, be understood 4that the rim is one of the several denountable types commonly used in connectionl With automobile and other vehicle Wheels.

I also provide means for interlocking the meeting ends of the split rim, which means comprises a reta ning plate 1 upon one end of the rim which projects bevond such 4end of the rim and has its projecting end formed with a slot 5 to receive a retaining lug 6 on the other end of the i'im, the outer transverse end ot' said rim and plate being dovetailed. as shown at T, to receive a sliding locking pla'le or member 8, which is adapted to be applied and removed from one side of the rim and to abut against a stop fiange or shoulder 9 when in full)7 applied position. This locking connection serves as a safeguard to obviate any liability of accidental disconnection or displacement of the ends of tl le rim when in service.

The means totl expanding and contracting the rim comprises a pair of toggle links 10 and 11. vvhiel are pivotallv connectedat their relativelvv o iter ends to transverse bolts i 1'2 arranged on opposite sides of the cleft 3 and forming elements of a eonnectorl and 11. Each of these connectors consists, as

received and which' are erforated forthe the same on' and o'f, it being understood that in practice any suitable form of fastening means may lbe employed'to prevent the nut from becoming casually disconnected. The connectors or clips '13 and 1l serve as a means adapt-ing the expanding and contracting device for application to different sizes and speciesof rims of the character set fort-h, rendering the device applicable to the demountable rims of wheels in u'se, either of the clencher .or quick demount-able type. 'hile these. detachable connectors are shown and .preferably employed, it is evident that any other suitable means'for'permanently. or temporarily connecting the links to the rilnmay 'be employed. l -The relatively inner ends of the links'are pivotallycoupled by an actuating lever 1.8 which has a tapered .free endportion 19 to receive atapered socket'QO upon one end of an operating handle or lever 21, which' socket is bent or arranged as shown at an obtuse angle to the lever. Bv means of this handle or lever the actuating lever 18 maybe swun in one` direction to al. position, as indicate in full lines in Fig. 1, to move or draw. the links inwardly to contract and hold the rim contracted. or the lever may be swung in .the opposite `direction to move the links apart and thereby expand the-rim, as shown infie# As shownin full lines 1n Flg. 4, in'which y the parts appear intheir normal position withthe rimlexpandedand locked by the fastening means in such 'positlong 1twill be noted that the handle 21 is arranged at one side of the rim with the links in closed position. and with the lever 18 arran ed at an angle to both links, so lthat the iandl Q1 may be applied'easily to the tapered end 19 of the lever which 'fextends atV one side y ofland tov an extent inwardly from the adjacent link,11.'` A stop l lug 1s carried by.

the link 11 to abutagainst the rim when the parts -are in closed posit-ion. to maintain them in vthe stated relationship. and -in such a position that the handle 21 may be moved toward the'adjacent side o f thev rim sufficiently. to straighten 'out the link 10. in' .order that-the ends ofthe rim may be pre.-

liminarily spread upon'the removal ot the plate S. prior to -the rim contracting operation. The lug :23 also serves in this operation as arest or support ,for the link 11 and'on .which the lever 18 may swingas a fulcrunr so that 'ample leverage'may bese-4 .curedto straighten out the lnik 10 and lever 1S to spread't'he ends of the rim apartyas indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. so. as to permit a suitable to'ol. to f beemployed.` as

hereinafter described. to pry'the rimV endsV apart and ont `of alinement before the contracting operation. The purpose of disposing the socket Q0 a-t an angle to vthe handle` :21 is to-render the handle' reversible, 'as well as detachable, so that it may be appliedvin position to clear the connector 14 and operated to swing the lever 1S over to the other side or to partially open' position. andvthen reverse or turn' half-way around to fully throw the lever and to adapt itto clear the connector 13 1n subsequently movingthe lever back to closed position. the angular 4 from the full line position shown in Fig.

l to the dotted line lposition shown in Fig.

4, whereby the links are partially openedand force the end of "the i rim to which the link 10 is attachedaway fromth'e other end of the rim, allowing a suitableprying tool' 25' to be applied to move the first-named end ofthe rim inwardlyl or radially out of alinement with the o posite end of therim. The handle'Ql mayt iereupon be swung to ward the oppositeside of the rim. as shown in Fig. 1, to break orswing the links inwardly to a position beyond center, whereby the rim/will bev'con'trac'ted and Athe links locked in contracted condition. so that the tire may be removed or applied with ease fand facility. To add security to the locking connection, however, a spring latch member-24a,'secti1ed to the adjacent bolt 12, may be employed, said latch having an otiset or hooked portion to engage the, handle 21 and an an ularlv disposed end portion 24h arjrangec in the path of thehandle, so that.

the'spring latch is,4 disposed to snap into' and out of locking position, the latch holding the handle 21 from disengagement from the'lever 18 whilel the-operator i's working upon the `wheel. It is understood that before this operation is? carried out the locking plate or member S is detached so as to permit separation of the rim ends.` 'hen it is desired to expand therim again. this eiected by movingv the handle back toits normal p'osition. and after the-rim ends are then brought. again into abutting relation the locking-plate may be applied. If desired. however. this locking plate may be omitted when its use is not desired or deemed essential., 'l

In the modified form of my invention illustrated in Figs. T to l2. ii'iclusive. the

same genera'l'structure is employed. but i1;

this adaptation ofthe invention I have lshenvn the application ot' the same to a straight-edge" demountable. rim 12.V In

this -form of the invention. clips or con- .'nectors 13- and 11a are employed in lieuoi` the connectors 1 3 and l-l. and eacl-nof these clips. or connectors 13"* and 1l comprises a connector plate QG having anges'forming a do'vetailed socket to 'receive and engage a dovetailed lug 27 formed or providedy upon the adjacei'lt. end of the rims, said plate 26 beingr slidably applicable and removable from one side of the rim and being limited from excess movement when in applied position. by a stop flange 28. Each connector plate 26 is provided lwith a loo 28 to receive a pivot pin 29 upon theen of the connecting link, such construction providing also detachable connection between-the links `and the rim, which form of detachable connection may be employed when desired.

It will be evident from the foregoing description that my invention provides a simple, reliable and efiicient means for expanding and contracting demountable vrims so as to permit of the ready, easy and efficient application yand removal of the tire, Without shifting the elements to an inoperative position or to such a position. as to cause them to be arranged to resist free movements when properly operated. Further- ,more, it will be seen that the invention provides a construction of device of this kind which is detachable or `perimu'iently applicable to dierent styles of rims, and also provides a mea as 1n the form of the operatmg handle f( r securing maximum movement-s of the aci mating lever, and 'also means for locking the ends :of the rim against lia. bility of casual displacement or disconnection Whenin se rvice.

I claim as my invention:

In a rim spreader, the combination with clamps for enga gingthe adjacent ends of a split rim, of tog gle mechanism `for operating theclampsconsisting of links connected to the clamps, aleVer connecting the links, and a fulcrum projection engaging one end of `the rim during :he expanding movement of the links to holtthe said rim end down and permitting the 'opposite rim end to rise freely.

In testimony 'vhereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

CI-ARLES F. CORBETT. Witnesses: i

GEORGE W'. PUTNAM, Cin-mms SILvEs'mR. 

